As times have changed, the demand for realistic plotlines has increased, and events from reality inspire the fictional world much more. “The Family Man” (Season 1) is a product of these incidents, which form the fragment of the protagonist, Srikant Tiwari’s life. Concentrating on the main theme of the protagonist’s demanding job, the directors also show how he juggles his personal life, which takes a back seat as he is clear with his responsibilities. Other than this, people’s opinion about NIA people, jihad and the vulnerable youth, the divide which religion creates, the emotional needs of people are some of the sub themes that operate in the background.

Attractions of “The Family Man”

A unique plot

The plot that is featured in “The Family Man” is unpredictable and thrilling. It has all potential to surprise the viewers at any point quite effortlessly. Packed in 10 episodes with each being of 40-45 minutes, it delivers content to keep eyes glued to the screens and be impatient for how the story would unfold further. At the same time, it discusses different sociological and psychological issues that the viewers observe unconsciously. These issues are the family life of the family man where his family is not just of the 3 members but of the many brothers and sisters of the nation. This is where the metaphorical associations of the title can be easily drawn.

Direction

The sequences of the 10 episodes are carefully planned and executed. It is interesting to see how episodes 1 and 10 bring in everything in symmetry, and all threads seem to join together without any confusion. There are no distractions to diversions to make the readers lose interest. Every incident depicted is related to the framework of the plot one way or the other. There is a brief flashback in one of the episodes, which ultimately contributes to the strength of the plot.

Setting

Most of the action takes place in Mumbai; however, the target spot is Delhi, and some part of the story takes place in Srinagar, Baluchistan, and south India. In the midst of this, the viewers get to travel to different sites of Mumbai, the beauty of Jammu and Kashmir and get a glimpse of Baluchistan lands.

Performances

Manoj Vajpayee, who is already known for his acting prowess, shows his flourished skills not just in the responsibility that his character has but also the different emotions of feeling guilty, regretting the fact that he has to lie and the regret of not having a lot of time for his children. Not just with dialogues, he adds to the dynamism of his character by his expressions (in moments with his son and capturing a terrorist). Other characters play their contributory parts well without overdoing them anywhere at all.

With the second installment of the franchise set to roll out, viewers who haven’t watched the first season should watch if they feel interested in seeing reality closely in the framework of fiction and, at the same time, understanding that every job isn’t as easy as it is shown to be otherwise.

First episode date: 20 September 2019
Number of episodes: 10
Number of seasons: 2
Network: Amazon Prime Video
Written by: Raj Nidimoru, Krishna D.K., Suman Kumar

Reviewed By: Akhila Saroha, The Literature Times